AFP’s concern: Controlling crowd of millions during Francis’ visit

Just days before the visit of Pope Francis in the country, the Armed Forces of the Philippines expressed concern about crowd control during the historic event as they expect an estimate of five to six million attendees.

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DOTC: 4 flights canceled due to bad weather

At least four domestic flights were canceled Friday due to bad weather, the Department of Transportation and Communications said.

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Metro Manila police: 1.1 M turn up for Black Nazarene procession

More than a million devotees have joined this year's observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene as of noontime on Friday, the National Capital Region Police Office has said.

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Neophyte solon pushes for 20% student fare discount

A neophyte senator on Friday urged the Senate to immediately pass the bill granting students a 20-percent fare discount on all kinds of public transportation utilities, including the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) systems.

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PNoy plans to appoint Garin as DOH chief

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said he plans to appoint Health Undersecretary Janette Garin as the department’s new chief, replacing resigned Health Secretary Enrique Ona.

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Ombudsman orders suspension of Davao cop accused in killing of hotelier Richard King

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the preventive suspension for six months of the alleged mastermind in the killing of Cebu businessman Richard King in Davao City on June 12 last year.

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LTFRB starts public hearing on buses, taxis, UV Express fare reductions

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Friday started hearings on petitions for fare reductions for buses and taxis.

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NDRRMC: Damage from Seniang rises to P809.9M

The damage from Tropical Storm Seniang rose to P809.9 million as of Friday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

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Int’l group pushes strong, immediate action vs. violence against journalists

An international media group on Friday sought "strong and immediate action" to curb what it called a "shocking" culture of violence against journalists, following the fatal shooting of a tabloid reporter in Bataan Thursday.

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Nazarene procession off to a slow start

The yearly Traslacion or procession of the image of the Black Nazarene was off to a slow Friday morning as the carriage the image was placed on could not advance because thousands of devotees block the path.

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Jostling briefly disrupts Pahalik at Quirino Grandstand

Jostling and pushing among devotees of the Black Nazarene briefly disrupted the Pahalik and vigil at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila before dawn Friday.

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VP Binay explains backing out of Trillanes-led mutiny in 2007

Vice President Jejomar Binay disclosed Thursday the reason he backed out from the mutiny led by then Navy officer, now senator, Antonio Trillanes IV against the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2007.

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Well-wishers reminded: NAIA 3 is for passengers only Jan. 15, up to noon of Jan. 19

Well-wishers, be reminded: The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)'s Terminal 3 will be closed to non-passengers on Jan. 15 and up to noon of Jan. 19, in connection with Pope Francis' visit to the Philippines.

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PNoy wants Poe to be Roxas’ VP – Osmeña

President Benigno Aquino wants Senator Grace Poe to run as Interior Secretary Mar Roxas’ running mate in 2016, a senator said Thursday.

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INFOGRAPHIC: Gentle reminders for Pope Francis' visit

With high anticipation for Pope Francis' upcoming trip to the Philippines, organizers issued a set of "gentle reminders" for those partaking in Papal Visit activities from January 15 to 19.

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Palace: Bilibid explosion perpetrators to be held liable

Perpetrators of the explosion inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) which killed an inmate earlier in the day will be held liable, Malacañang said Thursday.

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PNoy won’t suspend MRT, LRT fare hikes – Palace

President Benigno Aquino III is unlikely to heed Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s appeal to suspend fare hikes on the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT), a Malacañang spokesman said Thursday.

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Trial sought for proponents of controversial anti-dengue drug

Proponents of and researchers connected with the clinical trials of an experimental but controversial anti-dengue drug must face trial for their alleged unethical acts against children, a Filipino doctor involved in medical science research ethics said Thursday.

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PNoy won’t ask Alcala to explain alleged link to garlic cartel – Palace

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala may have been tagged both in the pork barrel and garlic cartel controversies, but he is not about to receive the same treatment given by President Benigno Aquino III to resigned Health chief Enrique Ona.

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Palace vows to prosecute killer of Bataan reporter

Malacañang on Thursday assured that tabloid reporter Nerlita 'Nerlie' Ledesma’s killer will be hunted down and prosecuted.

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Senators to honor ‘no epal’ appeal during papal visit

At least two senators vowed to honor Philippine Catholic bishops' “no politicians” appeal during Pope Francis' five-day visit to the country next week.

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Lessons from past papal visits, Wowowee stampede to be applied during Pope’s PHL trip

The government is looking at past events that drew a huge number of Filipinos – including previous papal visits and even the “Wowowee” stampede in 2006 – to come up with the best way to manage the crowd expected during Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to the Philippines.

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No bags, backpacks, umbrellas during Pope’s Luneta Mass –Palace

Keep calm, and leave your bags, backpacks and umbrellas behind. Malacañang on Thursday gave this advice to Filipinos planning to attend Pope Francis’ Mass at the Luneta Park on January 18, the fourth day of the pontiff's five-day state and apostolic visit to the country.

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Pope Francis practicing English speeches for PHL visit, Vatican says

Pope Francis has been honing his English speaking skills for his upcoming visit to the Philippines on January 15 to 19, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

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Senate to start tackling constitutional issues surrounding BBL

The Senate is set to start this month the discussion on the constitutional issues surrounding the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, parallel to hearings to be held in Mindanao, to expedite the approval of the bill before Congress adjourns its sessions in March.

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Sandigan ‘sekyu’ denies soliciting from Napoles lawyer

The Sandiganbayan security guard accused of soliciting money from the lawyer of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles has denied the allegation, saying it came from individuals with sinister intentions.

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Bilibid exec sacked for interfering in confiscation of prohibited items

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has dismissed a New Bilibid Prison official for interfering with the Bureau of Corrections' confiscation of prohibited items inside a "kubol" at the national penitentiary last year.

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DOTC chief Abaya skips House hearing on MRT, LRT fare hikes

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya was a no-show at the House transportation committee’s hearing Thursday on the fare increase for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT).

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PNoy not quite satisfied with papal visit security

Government agencies may spend the next few days fine-tuning security arrangements for Pope Francis' five-day visit to the Philippines next week.

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PHL condemns attacks in Paris

The Philippine government on Thursday joined worldwide condemnation against an attack by gunmen on the offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

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PNP to go on full alert Jan. 12 for papal visit

The Philippine National Police will go on full alert on Jan. 12, Monday, in time for the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines.

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Black Nazarene image brought to Quirino Grandstand

The Quiapo Church's image of the Black Nazarene was brought to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila before dawn Thursday for the yearly Pahalik and vigil.

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Ona insists nothing wrong with anti-dengue ActRx TriAct clinical trials

Former Health Secretary Enrique Ona on Wednesday insisted that there was nothing wrong with the controversial anti-dengue drug clinical trials.

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Outgoing Comelec chair likely to help Grace Poe if she runs in 2016

Outgoing Commission on Elections chair Sixto Brillanes has said that he would likely help Sen. Grace Poe if she decides to run for higher office in 2016.

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UNA: Trillanes accusing Binay of Pag-IBIG graft to set up VP’s impeachment

The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) has accused Senator Antonio Trillanes IV of laying the groundwork for Vice President Jejomar Binay’s impeachment by implicating him in alleged anomalies in the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund).

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MRT-LRT petitions raffled off, CJ Sereno awaits word from assigned justice

The Supreme Court has already assigned a justice to handle the first batch of petitions contesting the rate fare hike in the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit.

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CAAP to strictly implement drone ban in papal visit venues

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will strictly implement its “no drone policy” during the papal visit with fines ranging from P300,000 to P500,000, a report from GMA's “24-Oras” said Wednesday.

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Former Corona spokesperson is VP Binay’s next

One of impeached former Chief Justice Renato Corona's spokespersons will soon be speaking for Vice President Jejomar Binay, the official's camp said on Wednesday.

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New DOTC tool vs. colorum vehicles: Yellow license plates

The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on Wednesday launched new yellow license plates as part of its efforts to eliminate colorum vehicles.

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DFA launches digital pamphlet about West PHL Sea

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) released on Wednesday a digital pamphlet about the West Philippine Sea as an "accessible and comprehensible" resource material on the contested area.

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Another petition vs 2015 budget filed with SC

Another petition has been filed with the Supreme Court seeking to declare as unconstitutional the P2.606-trillion national budget approved by President Benigno Aquino III last month.

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DOJ: Manila court junks drug convict’s plea vs. transfer

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday said a Manila court has junked a plea from a Bilibid inmate contesting his transfer to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila.

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De Lima ready to face raps over Bilibid inmates’ transfer

Despite being sued before a commission she once headed, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima maintains there was nothing illegal in the transfer of 19 high-profile New Bilibid Prison inmates to the National Bureau of Investigation compound.

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Solon wants to hike P200 fine for indiscriminate firing

A former police official and incumbent lawmaker wants to increase the P200 fine for indiscriminate firing to discourage owners from firing their guns for no acceptable reason.

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Palace considers Bilibid raids ‘effective’ despite NBI security breach

Although high-profile inmates still managed to smuggle money after being transferred to new detention cells, Malacañang on Wednesday said the raids in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) can still be considered “effective.”

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Jinggoy insists on need to post bail

Detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Wednesday urged the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division to grant his earlier motion to set a fix amount for his temporary freedom, despite the ongoing hearing of his bail petition.

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House to probe PNP’s ability to trace indiscriminate firing cases

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian said the PNP’s ability to go after perpetrators of indiscriminate firing and other gun-related crimes has been limited because only two Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) have been bought for the crime laboratory.

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Cayetano: ‘I still dream of changing the country’

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano still has his eyes on the presidency despite his low ranking in some surveys.

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CA upholds Celdran’s conviction for ‘offending religious feelings’

The Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Manila tour guide and reproductive health advocate Carlos Celdran for "offending religious feelings" when he disrupted an ecumenical service at the Manila Cathedral in September 2010 to protest the Catholic Church's opposition to the then Reproductive Health Bill.

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CA upholds Celdran’s conviction for ‘offending religious feelings’

The Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of Manila tour guide and reproductive health advocate Carlos Celdran for "offending religious feelings" when he disrupted an ecumenical service at the Manila Cathedral in September 2010 to protest the Catholic Church's opposition to the then Reproductive Health Bill.

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